The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has not only offered new developments in technology and science but also prompted concerns regarding its impact on commerce and privacy, among other issues. For that reason, the United States is exploring the actions it can take with an AI advisory committee that will continue to inform the government of new developments in artificial intelligence as the technology develops. AI can solve a wide range of problems, from uncovering the identities of anonymous internet users to even predicting the weather with astounding success. The question arises: what should artificial intelligence be used for, and how should the United States regulate it? For private technology companies, the answer to these questions is simple.

In 2018, Congress established the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI)--a temporary, independent body tasked with reviewing the national security implications of artificial intelligence (AI). But two years later, the commission's activities remain little known to the public. Critics have charged that the commission has conducted activities of interest to the public outside of the public eye, only acknowledging that meetings occurred after the fact and offering few details on evolving commission decision-making. As one commentator remarked, "Companies or members of the public interested in learning how the Commission is studying AI are left only with the knowledge that appointed people met to discuss these very topics, did so, and are not yet releasing any information about their recommendations." That perceived lack of transparency may soon change.

The Trump administration quietly terminated an Obama-era federal committee on automation in transportation earlier this year, the Department of Transportation confirmed to The Verge this week. What's more, the DOT never informed some members that the advisory group didn't exist anymore, including Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, Zipcar founder Robin Chase, Apple vice president Lisa Jackson, and even the committee's own vice chair, The Verge has learned. The committee's dissolution comes at a critical moment in the development of automated vehicles in the United States. During the two-plus years that it sat dormant, multiple companies have rolled out small commercial fleets of automated vehicles that perform a variety of tasks. Big money is pouring into some of the most visible companies in the space.

As the cost to do business increases due to regulatory and other burdens, one expert explained lenders will increasingly look to artificial intelligence to replace humans, but he has one question: will Millennials accept it? Nominations for HousingWire's Tech100 Award opened at the beginning of this month, and now the early-bird pricing deadline is quickly approaching. One of the biggest changes to this year's award is the addition of our editorial advisory committee. This year, for the first time ever, nominees will be reviewed by an advisory committee, made up of some of the best minds in the housing industry. This committee will then advise HousingWire's internal award review board of potential finalists before the winners are selected. Click here to see who is on this committee.

China purchased 141,000 industrial robots in 2017, up 58.1 per cent year-on-year, but foreign brands accounted for nearly three-quarters of that, showing that the gap is still widening between Chinese robot makers and their foreign peers. The China International Robot Industry Summit, held in Shanghai, said the sales and growth rate of industrial robots hit records in 2017. Among industrial robots, 37,825 were domestically manufactured, up 29.8 per cent year-on-year. "As robotics is expanding into nearly every industry, Chinese robot makers should realise the gap between them and foreign brands, take advantage of China's robotics development boom and learn from foreign experience to help China grow from the world's largest robot market into a robot manufacturing power," said Qu Daokui, president of China Robot Industry Alliance and chief executive of the Shenyang-based Siasun Robot and Automation company. According to Mr Qu, foreign robot makers sold 103,191 robots to China in 2017, up 71.9 per cent from a year earlier.

WASHINGTON – The European Union's executive branch, the European Commission, has announced that it will increase its investment in artificial intelligence (AI) research and development by €1.5 billion and called on member states to invest €20 billion as well. Congressman John K. Delaney (MD-6), the founder of the House AI Caucus, says that the European Union's action should get the attention of U.S. policymakers. "Our economic competitors in Europe and Asia are moving forward on AI, while we stand still. I sincerely hope that today's announcement from the EU gets the attention of Washington and serves as a wake-up call. If we want artificial intelligence technology to benefit our society, our economy and our workers, we've got to make sure that the United States remains the global leader – but make no mistake, we will have competition," said Congressman Delaney.

Victor Schwartz is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the Kansas City-based law firm of Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. He chairs the firm's Public Policy Group, which seeks to be the vanguard of developing public policy issues that will help improve the civil justice system. Mr. Schwartz has been an advisor for each of the American Law Institute's (ALI) Restatement (Third) of Torts projects: Products Liability, Apportionment of Liability, and Liability for Physical and Emotional Harm. He is a life member of the ALI. Prior to entering the full time practice of law, Mr. Schwartz was a professor and dean at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Late last year, a St. Louis tech executive named Emre Şarbak noticed something strange about Google Translate. He was translating phrases from Turkish -- a language that uses a single gender-neutral pronoun "o" instead of "he" or "she." But when he asked Google's tool to turn the sentences into English, they seemed to read like a children's book out of the 1950's. The ungendered Turkish sentence "o is a nurse" would become "she is a nurse," while "o is a doctor" would become "he is a doctor." The website Quartz went on to compose a sort-of poem highlighting some of these phrases; Google's translation program decided that soldiers, doctors and entrepreneurs were men, while teachers and nurses were women.

CIFAR has announced its International Scientific Advisory Committee that will oversee the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. The Canadian AI strategy was first announced in the government's budget last year, when the government confirmed that it was committing $125 million towards the strategy, which CIFAR is responsible for implementing. As part of the AI strategy, CIFAR will appoint approximately 50 Canada CIFAR Chairs in artificial intelligence at three AI institutes: Amii in Edmonton, the Vector Institute in Toronto, and MILA in Montreal. At least half of the chairholders will be recruited from outside Canada. The International Scientific Advisory Committee will evaluate nominations from each of the AI institutes and recommend Chair appointments to CIFAR's board of directors.